Deputies charged with murder allegedly assaulted other inmates

Three correctional deputies due in court Friday for a murder charge in an inmate’s death allegedly assaulted other inmates earlier this year, according to court documents filed by prosecutors.

Jereh Lubrin, 28, Rafael Rodriguez, 27, and Matthew Farris, 27, are charged with murder in the death of Michael James Tyree and assault under the color of authority on Juan Villa at the county’s Main Jail in San Jose, Santa Clara County prosecutors said.

The deputies are being held without bail in Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, according to jail records.

They were arraigned on the charges last week and are scheduled to appear for a bail hearing Friday.

Tyree, a 31-year-old mentally ill inmate, was pronounced dead in his cell around 12:30 a.m. on Aug. 27, according to sheriff’s officials.

Tyree was housed in a single-person cell on a sixth-floor wing dedicated to inmates in protective custody or with special needs, sheriff’s officials said.

The deputies allegedly hit Villa, then beat up Tyree about two hours before Tyree was pronounced dead, according to sheriff’s officials.

On the night of Aug. 26, the deputies allegedly struck Villa’s head and twisted his arms, according to prosecutors.

Soon after, Lubrin and Farris went inside Tyree’s cell while Rodriguez stood by the cell door, according to prosecutors.